A Broader Horizon to A Public Disease

Although “A Way Outa No Way” was quite longer than the rest of the essays, I found it to be intriguing and something of a different nature than what I was used to reading. When I saw that it was about eating problems amongst Black, Latina, and White woman, I was shocked to see the Black and Latina. I was one of those people blinded by the media and society, and thought that eating problems only occurred in model and white woman who wanted to become slimmer because they didn’t love themselves or like the way they looked. I was unaware of the many factors that caused eating problems and how it also affected other cultures. It was a stereotype that was embedded in my mind because of the way society always portrayed it and talked about it.

After reading about the different testimonies of the 18 women, it opened up my eyes and gave me a greater sympathy for those who go through this. Sexual Abuse being one, the logic behind it made sense on why the women tried to use binging in order to “leave their bodies” after what had been done to them. Also I always thought of eating problems as people just trying to become anorexic or binging. I now know of bulimia and people who have an extensive eating problem, who go to food to comfort themselves and numb the pain.

I find it very sad that women go through these things. I also would like to know more on the origins on why women resorted to food for comfort or punishing themselves. What about food attracted them to it? It is a disease that can be cured but an ongoing process in the life of someone with this problem.